State inspectors have asked the Prime Minister to halt the exploitation of minerals in hundreds of spots in the central province of Nghe An due to managerial failures.

Businesses in Nghe An have broken many local laws on mineral mine management, and several of the provincial regulations are too lax, officials from the Government Inspectorate said in a note sent to the PM.

The inspectorate recommend that the PM revoke the permits for 241 mines that have not signed contracts to rent land and have not paid to restore the damage done to the local environment. They also asked that operations be suspended at 54 other mines.

Twenty nine people were killed in 12 accidents at mineral mines in Nghe An in 2008, the inspectors said, blaming the businesses for not maintaining safety.

The Nghe An Peopleââ‚¬â„¢s Committee was also blamed for its lax taxation policy and for not managing the transfer of exploitation permits among mining businesses.

The inspectors recommended that the province Peopleââ‚¬â„¢s Committee, the Departments of Natural Resources and Environment, Construction, Industry and Trade, Taxation, and Customs all be punished and rebuked for the failings.

Inspections in nearby Quang Binh Province also found loose management over land use. Public land has been encroached upon while land for tourist sites, schools and dumpsites has not been granted as planned, the state inspectors said.